In Uttar Pradesh, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has expressed concern over rampant encroachment along the national highway on the 15-km stretch from the engineering college on Sitapur Road to the Barabanki border on Faizabad Road. The high court on April 2 issued a notice to the National Highway Authority of India for reply and fixed April 9 for next hearing.
The court order came from a division bench comprising Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice Satish Chandra on a PIL filed by social activist Veer Pratap Singh. Appearing on his behalf, BK Singh demanded removal of encroachment from service roads, footpaths and nullahs along the national highway on that stretch.
The PIL also demanded the court direction to the NHAI to complete service roads and nullahs parallel to the national highway. It was submitted that the director general of police issued a circular on February 28, 2012 directing the station officers to ensure removal of encroachments in their area and maintain strict vigilance against recurrence of encroachments.
The counsel contended that the DGP's circular had not been complied with. The petition also stated that from engineering college via Munshi Puliya, Kamta and Matiyari crossing to Barabanki border there were heavy encroachments, also responsible for the frequent traffic jams in the area.
The plantation drive near the new high court campus could not begin because of the encroachment.
